Aug 27 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly ( LLY ) said it has begun

selling single-dose vials of its popular weight-loss drug

Zepbound in the U.S., aimed at patients who cannot get the cost

of the medicine reimbursed through their health insurance plans.

The 2.5 milligram and 5 mg vials, which are the two lowest

available doses of Zepbound, will be available through the

drugmaker's website LillyDirect at respective list prices of

$399 and $549 for a month's supply, the company said.

Lilly and Danish rival Novo Nordisk have been

struggling to make enough of their obesity medications to meet

soaring demand, with both Zepbound and Novo's Wegovy having been

listed as in shortage by the U.S. FDA for much of this year.

The Food and Drug Administration now lists all doses of

Lilly's Zepbound, known chemically as tirzepatide, as available

but has not removed it from the shortage list. The lowest dose

of Wegovy is still listed as in shortage.

Patrik Jonsson, Lilly's president of cardiometabolic health,

said in an interview that the launch of these vials will

significantly increase supplies of Zepbound in the U.S.

"We are very confident with both the auto-injectors and the

vials that we will be able to supply the needs in the U.S.

marketplace," he said, adding that a big chunk of patients do

not progress to higher doses of Zepbound than 5mg during

treatment.

Lilly said the prices of these vials represented a 50%

discount on those of all other obesity medicines in the GLP-1

class. It has previously said patients who are not covered for

Zepbound can get the drug in a pen through LillyDirect for as

little as $550.

Around 86% of commercial healthcare plans cover obesity

drugs, according to Lilly. Patients not covered for weight loss,

such as those on the U.S. government's Medicare health plan for

older Americans, may otherwise have to pay more than $1,000 out

of pocket for a month's supply of Zepbound.

Lilly has already launched vials of its tirzepatide products

in other countries including Australia, Canada and Poland,

Jonsson said.

The company earlier this month raised its sales forecast for

the year by $3 billion on the back of increased manufacturing

capacity and supplies of Zepbound and diabetes treatment

Mounjaro, which is also tirzepatide.